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EU: Launch of register for lobbyists
Date: 18/01/2008
EU Administration Commissioner Siim Kallas launched the EU Transparency Initiative (ETI) in May 2006. The ETI seeks to address a perceived lack of transparency among lobbyists and to prevent any unlawful or improper lobbying methods (e.g. fraud and corruption or misleading information).
As a part of the ETI, the Commission will create in spring 2008 a register to which all interest representatives are invited to subscribe (including trade associations, NGOs, consultancies, companies etc). While the registration is voluntary, not subscribing to it could potentially undermine the credibility of an organisation. Those who wish to be on the register are required to sign up to both a new code of conduct for lobbyists and to disclose their funding of lobbying the EU institutions.
The initiative does not distinguish between the private sector and NGOs, thereby upholding all interest representatives to the same standards. Currently the Commission is in the process of consulting with interest representatives on the content of the code of conduct. The proposed code would underline common ETI principles so that all signatories to the code are expected "to behave in line with the principles of openness, transparency, honesty and integrity as expected of them by the citizens in a democratic system". The code of conduct is open for consultation for all interested parties until Feb 15, 2008.
For more information see:
http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/consultation_code/index_en.htm.
WFA as well as any of its members actively lobbying in Brussels qualify as “interest representatives” under the ETI. As a part of this initiative, trade associations, including WFA, will be required to publish in the register “an estimate of the cost associated with the direct lobbying of EU institutions”.
However, as the Commission will not provide a set formula with which all lobbyists are to disclose estimates on their lobbying costs, there is a risk that signatories would provide conflicting or incompatible information which could potentially undermine the credibility of the information provided by any one organisation.
WFA Position
WFA fully supports the ETI initiative as a way to make EU lobbying more transparent and will sign up to the register of lobbyists as soon as it is launched. WFA is already a signatory to the code of conduct of the Society of European Public Affairs Professionals (SEAP, representing the EU lobbying profession) which emphasises the importance of acting with honesty and integrity, maintain transparency and openness.
As a SEAP member WFA has been part of a taskforce responsible for writing a guidance paper on how the estimated lobbying cost required by the Commission is to be reported. The aim will be to provide a consistent standard used across the SEAP membership, thus reducing the risk of potential discrepancies. Next Steps: - Consultation on ETI code of conduct closes Feb 15, 2008 - Launch of register of lobbyists in spring 2008. Up-to-date information on the ETI Initiative can be found here.
To learn about SEAP and their code, see http://www.seap.eu.org/
For more information please contact [email protected]
